A Stroll Down Bourbon Street
by VampireJen
Summary: Brian takes a trip to New Orleans and makes a new friend
1. Default Chapter

Title: A Stroll Down Bourbon St.  
  
Author: Jen Imparato Archive: Yes to ATP, anyone else, email me. Pairing: Brian/Michael, Featuring: Lestat, Louis, Armand Rating: R, language Status: New Email address: vampirejen@comcast.net Disclaimers: Characters are the property of Showtime and CowLip productions. Spoilers: None Notes: This is a Vampire Chronicles/QAF Crossover. If you've ever seen or read Interview With The Vampire, this will all make sense. The first part is all QAF, the following parts include the vampires.  
  
"Mikey, calm down. It's not like I'll be gone forever. Just a couple weeks, maybe months." Brian said, trying to calm his best friend.  
  
"You took an indefinite leave of absence from your job. That's not a 'little vacation'. I know why you're doing this, but you don't have to." Michael said  
  
"It's just a vacation, Mikey. Don't read more into it. I will be back. I won't leave you forever, I promise," Brian reassured with a smile.  
  
"You better not" Michael said, somewhat uncertain.  
  
Brian left Michael's comic book store to continue his round of goodbyes. He figured Mikey should be first because he would be the hardest. *Doesn't he realize how much I care for him? How could he think I'd leave him behind forever?* Brian thought as he walked to do the Diner.  
  
When he got there, Deb greeted him with a smile. She had been nicer to him since the break up. She knew it was inevitable, and that it was hard on both of them, but she'd really hoped that it wouldn't completely break Brain.  
  
"Hey Deb, just stopping by to tell you that I'm going away for a while. Don't know where, don't know how long, but I will be back." Brain said, scanning the room for Ted and Emmett, who were nowhere to be found.  
  
"Jesus Christ, you don't let anyone ask a question before you answer it, do you?" Debbie asked, smiling.  
  
"Nope, it's easier that way. And quicker." Brain answered with his trademark sly grin.  
  
"Well, be careful. Have you talked to Michael?" she asked.  
  
"Yes I have, and he's fine. I've covered everything; this is my last stop before hitting the highway." Brian said, jingling his keys in Deb's direction.  
  
"Everything? Haven't you forgotten someone?" she asked, glancing in the direction of a blonde busboy pretending to be busy clearing off a table in the far corner.  
  
"Deb, I don't want to make it harder for him. Or for me." He replied, looking down.  
  
"Do friends leave without saying goodbye? Brian, you both deserve at least that much." Debbie said, trying not to sound pushy.  
  
Brian hated it when anyone, especially Debbie, had a point. So, he put on his best smile and headed toward the back table.  
  
"Justin, can I talk to you for a minute?" Brian asked quietly  
  
Justin looked up from his cleaning. "Sure, but a minute is all I have."  
  
"Well, it won't take that long. I'm going on a trip. I'm leaving right after I leave here, and I don't know when I'll be back, so I'm just stopping by to say goodbye" Brian said quickly.  
  
"Oh. Well, have a good time and be careful. See you when you get back." Justin answered quietly, trying not to sound effected by the news.  
  
Brian notes the expression on Justin's face and adds, "I'm not going for the reasons you think. I just need to get away from the Pitts."  
  
"Ok, I believe you." Justin answers and heads back to the kitchen.  
  
Brian walks toward the door and is stopped by Debbie, who shoves a bag against his chest and says "You're taking this and you're not going to argue with me".  
  
Brian smiles and takes the bag, gives her a peck on the cheek and heads out the door.  
  
***  
  
Once in the jeep, Brian looks in the bag that Debbie handed him. A turkey sandwich and a few lemon bars, his usual lunch plus some extra snacks.  
  
As he's driving along, Michael's words pop into his head "I know why you're doing this". Brian shakes his head and says aloud, "Do you really, Mikey? Do you really know why I feel like I have to take a trip? I guess you always hoped I'd love you, but did you ever imagine that I really do?"  
  
Rather than talk to himself, about a subject he'd been talking to himself about a lot lately, Brian opted to turn up the radio and enjoy his road trip.  
  
To Be Continued.. 


	2. A Stroll Down Bourbon Street, Part 2

Title: A Stroll Down Bourbon St (Part 2)  
  
Author: Jen Imparato Archive: Yes to ATP, anyone else, email me. Pairing: Brian/Michael Featuring: Lestat, Louis, & Armand Rating: R Status: New Email address: vampirejen@comcast.net Disclaimers: Characters are the property of Showtime and CowLip productions. [and Anne Rice?] Spoilers: None Notes: Part 2 of QAF/Vampire Chronicles Crossover fiction. If you've read or seen Interview With The Vampire, you'll know the characters I'm using. The Astor Crowne Plaza is an actual hotel located at 100 Bourbon St, at the corner of Bourbon and Canal Sts., the gateway to the French Quarter. Thank You: A special thank you goes out to my aunt, T. Isilwath, for starting my interest in the Vampire Chronicles and for giving me information about clubs in the French Quarter. Also, a big thank you to my betas.  
  
After driving for two days, making few stops along the way, Brian ended up in New Orleans. Although he was a couple weeks early, he fully intended to enjoy the festivities of Mardi Gras. Those weeks would not be uneventful though, because there is always a party on Bourbon Street.  
  
Brian checked himself into the Astor Crowne Plaza, one of the most expensive hotels in the French Quarter, and the most convenient to the festivities. Once he got to his room, on the sixth floor, he put his suitcases on the floor next to the closet and stretched out across the bed. He could hear music coming from outside, but was too tired to look out the window to see what was going on. As he lay there listening, he thought of Michael. *I wonder what Mikey has been doing. *  
  
After lying in bed for a few hours, dozing off every now and then, Brian decided to shower and dress to go out. He rummaged through his suitcase to find something suitable to wear. "Note to self, go shopping. This stuff is so. Pittsburgh," he said out loud. Finally settling on black pants and a white shirt, Brian got dressed.  
  
Brian walked up to the front desk to talk to the clerk. "Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me about some of the clubs or bars in the area?"  
  
The clerk lifted his eyes and met Brian's, and replied, "Sure, well. it depends on what you're looking for. The most famous is Pat O'Brians, known for its drink, The Hurricane. If you're into Jazz, there's the Preservation Hall, Fritzels European Jazz Club, and Palm Court Jazz Café. For the gay and lesbian scene, there's Oz. If you're just looking for food, there's Poppy's. For Celtic music there's O'Flahertys. There's also a Hard Rock Café, and a house of Blues. All are close by."  
  
"Thank you," Brian said, and walked out the door to take on the nightlife in a part of New Orleans that never sleeps.  
  
*Oz. hmm. well, I'm sure it's not Babylon but it's better than nothing,* Brain thought, as he strolled down Bourbon Street. Thinking about Babylon made him think about Michael again. *I wonder if Mikey is at Babylon right now.*  
  
*** Meanwhile in Pittsburgh***  
  
"Hey, Emmett, are you going to Babylon with us?" Michael yelled from his bedroom, as he was getting ready.  
  
"Yeah, I'm going. Are we picking up Justin at the diner first?" Emmett called out.  
  
"I think so, I'll call him and find out." Michael replied, picking up the phone.  
  
"Liberty Diner," Deb said into the receiver.  
  
"Hi, ma, can I talk to Justin for a minute?" Michael asked  
  
"Sure, sweetie. You two have been getting along recently. I'm glad to see it."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I can't figure it out either." Michael laughed into the phone, and waited for his mom to put Justin on.  
  
"Hey, Mike, what's up?" Justin asked, quite confused that Michael was calling him at work.  
  
"Hey, Boy Wonder. Do you want to go to Babylon with me and Emmett tonight? We'll pick you up after your shift."  
  
"Uh. sure, thanks for inviting me. I'll be done at 10," Justin replied, grateful that he hadn't lost his small circle of friends in the breakup.  
  
"Ok, we'll be there. Who knows, you might meet up with that cutie from your school," Michael joked.  
  
"Oh hush, he's not all that interested. I gotta get back to work, see you at 10," Justin said.  
  
"Bye, Justin" Michael said, hanging up the phone. "Emmett, he's going"  
  
"Great! Honey, I'm glad you two are getting along now," Emmett said, grinning. He was always happy when everyone else was happy.  
  
*** Back in New Orleans***  
  
Brian found his way to Oz. It wasn't too much different from Babylon, but it definitely wasn't Babylon. *Oh well,* he thought, *I may as well enjoy myself. That's why I'm here, right?*  
  
Brian headed for the bar right away, ordered a double shot of Jim Beam, and downed it as he scanned the dance floor. *A whole new ball game,* he thought.  
  
A tall blonde caught his eye; Brian knew he had to have him. After downing another double of Jim Beam he strolled out on the dance floor toward his conquest.  
  
Brian danced his way through the crowd and up to the tall blonde stranger. He tapped the man on his shoulder, and the man turned around. The face he saw had a beauty that he'd never seen before, except maybe in his Mikey. This blonde was so captivating that Brian lost his train of thought for a second.  
  
"Lestat," the blonde said, catching Brian off guard.  
  
"Huh?" Brian asked, regaining his sense of self.  
  
"My name, its Lestat. Care to dance?" Lestat asked, noting that once again he managed to attract a mortal.  
  
"Dance? Well, I guess we can dance for a little while. We've got all night for other things." Brian said with a smirk, his 'stud of Liberty Avenue' confidence coming back.  
  
"Other things?" Lestat questioned, knowing exactly what Brian had in mind.  
  
"You'll see. later. Let's dance," Brain said pulling Lestat toward the center of the dance floor.  
  
As they were dancing, Lestat got the distinct feeling that Brian wasn't any ordinary mortal. 


	3. A Stroll Down Bourbon Street, Part 3

Title: A Stroll Down Bourbon St (Part 3)  
  
Author: Jen Imparato Archive: Yes to ATP, anyone else, email me. Pairing: Brian/Michael Featuring: Lestat, Louis, & Armand Rating: R Status: New Email address: vampirejen@comcast.net Disclaimers: Characters are the property of Showtime and CowLip productions. Vampires are property of Anne Rice. Spoilers: None Notes: Part 3 of QAF/Vampire Chronicles Crossover fiction. If you've read or seen Interview With The Vampire, you'll know the characters I'm using. The first 2 parts are mostly QAF, this part is entirely from Lestat's point of view. Thank You: To everyone that pre-beta'd this story when it was in the beginning stages, and those who reviewed the finished product. And most of all, to the QAF-BrianandMichael group, for giving me that extra little push to start this project and continue it.  
  
I notice him as soon as he walks into the club. He walks with a confidence that is rare in mortals. He struts up to the bar and downs two double shots as he scans the dance floor; it looks as if he's played this role before. *"A whole new ball game,"*, I read in his thoughts. So, he has played the role before, just not around here. I notice him spot me., *"I have to have him,"*, I hear from his mind. Yeah, he wants me. And why wouldn't he?, I'm an attractive vampire who portrays one hell of a hot mortal. He's walking this way. I scan his thoughts; he's got more going on in his mind than my last four victims combined. He's Pittsburgh's hottest stud, but he left. He always gets his trick... I, Lestat De Lioncourt, am no trick. However, this Brian is quite attractive. I think I'll play along.  
  
He comes up behind me, and taps me. I turn, and the look on his face is priceless. He looks at me the way most mortals look at me, stunned by my beauty. "Lestat," I offer, knowing that if I don't say something, he'd probably continue to stare. He's a bit confused at first, but then he smiles and regains himself. I ask him to dance, and then I see it, his smirk of confidence. He agrees to dancing, promising that we have the whole night for "other things." Yeah, he's going to be fun. I know what he's thinking, but I play along. "Other things?" I question. He smiles. "You'll see," and we dance towards the center of the floor. So, he likes to be the center of attention. I can do that. I knew, as soon as we started dancing, that he was no ordinary mortal. This Brian is everything that I am, without fangs. He's a predator. I can tell by that way he was looking at me while he was walking toward me. I can tell by the way he's looking at me now, like he's captured his prey. This is going to be fun.  
  
"You're not from around here, are you?" I ask, trying to see how much he will open up to me and how much I'm going to have to rely on my power of mind(-)reading to tell me.  
  
"No," he answers. Short and sweet. I figure he might go on, but he doesn't. His arms rest on my shoulders as he pulls me closer.  
  
"So, where are you from?"  
  
"Pittsburgh, why?" he replies, somewhat confused that I'm actually talking to him.  
  
I look into his eyes, and for a moment I'm struck by his beauty. His eyes tell his story. He's here because he had to get away. He's in love, but afraid. Someone he loved, or at least thought he loved, hurt him. He never believed in love before this young man, this Justin. So he has a thing for blondes. But there is someone else in his thoughts, someone he tries to push back. This person must be the cause of his fear.  
  
"Just wondering, didn't you ever hold a conversation with anyone you met in Pittsburgh?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess. It just didn't involve much more than 'your place or mine?'" he says, thinking back on the last night he went dancing in Pittsburgh.  
  
While we dance, all eyes are on us. I love it, and I can tell that he does too. It won't be long before he motions to make an exit. I'd seen this scene run through his mind many times from the club he used to frequent in Pittsburgh.  
  
"Babylon," he says, literally out of nowhere.  
  
"Huh?" He catches me off guard, and this is truly a first. Normally I can field a question before it's ever asked.  
  
"You were asking about Pittsburgh. Well Babylon is the club I used to go to every night. Everyone on Liberty Avenue knows who Brian Kinney is; I'm nearly a celebrity there," he says. The look in his eyes tells me that he has no idea why he is telling me all this.  
  
"Then why would you leave? If everyone knew you, and I'd assume everyone wanted you, why would you willingly walk away?" I ask, knowing that he won't tell me the exact truth.  
  
"Change of scene. I've had nearly everyone on Liberty Ave. It was time to move on," he replies.  
  
He really looks like he believes himself. Little does he know that I can read the truth. He left because of the love for his best friend. Why isn't he thinking the name? Is he afraid of admitting the truth? Whatever Justin did, it hurt Brian's outlook on love more than he'll ever admit.  
  
"But it's all behind me now. Let's get out of here," he says, pulling me through the crowd.  
  
Once outside, he looks lost. I guess he figured it would look like Liberty Avenue.  
  
"What's wrong, Brian?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm staying at the Astor Crowne Plaza if you'd like to come back with me," he says, smiling at me.  
  
"How did you get here?"  
  
"I took a cab. I haven't driven around the French Quarter long enough to know my way around in a drunken stupor." As he speaks, a glimmer of sadness flashes across his face.  
  
"Okay, I'll get us a taxi," I say.  
  
*Why is this guy being so nice to me? Why does he care where I'm from or why I'm here? I never had a trick actually talk to me, well, except for Justin. But was Justin ever really just a trick? Can't think about him. But Lestat, he's beautiful. He's not Mikey, but he's beautiful. He's got to be amazing in bed* Brian thinks as he watches me hail a cab.  
  
"Come on Brian, this cab is going our way," I yell, pulling Brian out of his thoughts.  
  
In the cab, we don't talk very much. Brian is lost in his thoughts about Pittsburgh and Mikey. He is trying to forget what he left behind and concentrate on what is here and now. He wasn't counting on me. He's never held a conversation with a trick. I still hate that word. I want to know more about this man. He wants more from me than I can give him. Now I know what drew me to this mortal. He reminds me of how my beloved Louis made me feel. Louis left me because I couldn't give him everything he wanted, or everything he thought I should be able to.  
  
"We're here," Brian says, pulling on my arm. "Are you coming? Or going?" Brian smiles as he recalls another time where he said something similar.  
  
"I'm coming," I reply, getting out of the cab and paying the driver.  
  
"You didn't have to do that; I could have paid him," Brian says, smiling.  
  
"I know, but I wanted to. Haven't you ever heard of southern hospitality?" I ask, flashing the irresistible grin that makes Brian want to melt.  
  
He opens the door to his room, on the sixth floor, with a wonderful view of the never-ending festivities of Bourbon Street. He motions to the bed and tells me to make myself comfortable as he kicks off his shoes.  
  
I sit down on the end of the bed and watch Brian as he takes his clothes off. He is beautiful. He turns to look at me, I stand and walk to meet him half way across the room.  
  
"You're still dressed," he says, grinning.  
  
"Why yes, I am," I reply, he thinks I'm playing hard to get. How can I tell this beautiful man that I can't do what he wishes? At least I don't think I can.  
  
"Why is that?" he says, taking the hem of my shirt in his hands and pulling it over my head.  
  
"Brian, I'm not sure you want to go through with this. I'm not what you think I am," I say, hoping he gets mad and throws me out. But he doesn't. He looks at me, like he understands.  
  
*First time? Could be straight? No, too attractive to be straight. Bisexual? No. He's gay. First time in a long time? I don't care, I have to have him.* I hear from his mind.  
  
He unbuttons my pants and pushes them down and helps me step out of them, leaving my underwear on. He's a predator, but he's not going to take something the other party isn't willing to give.  
  
*Don't leave. I'm giving you the chance to leave. The chance I didn't have my first time. I won't hurt you. I can be gentle. Give me a chance, I know you won't regret it. Hundreds of gay men in Pittsburgh can't be wrong* He's thinking, and I believe him. But, can I? It's been a long time, centuries.  
  
"Kiss me, Brian," I say, breathless, just thinking about what this man wants to do to me.  
  
"Now that's what drew me to you., I could tell you've got aggression in your blood," he says, and takes me in his arms and kisses me. His mouth devours mine; he's incredibly talented with his tongue. He hands roam everywhere else on my body he can reach. I start to feel something I never felt before, but it's hard to describe. I wanted him, but I was still afraid that everything I've ever read or been told is true, that once you accept the dark gift, you say goodbye to your sex life.  
  
*Wow he's a hell of a kisser. He melts right into my kiss. He wants me. Of course he wants me. And I want him* Brian? thinks. Such arrogance, such self-love, he'd make a perfect vampire.  
  
I start to explore his body with my hands; he's sculpted beautifully. Armand would love this body, but he'd rather paint it than touch it. He's running his hands all over me, and I'm getting that feeling again. It's coming from deep within me. I want him. I have to have him. But can I? I need to tell him.  
  
"Brian," I manage to say between kisses and gropes.  
  
"Hmmm?" he moans, and looks at me. There is a fire in his eyes, such desire. But, he'll wait. He'll wait as long as it takes me, and this is uncharacteristic of him. I wonder why he's being so patient.  
  
*I'm worried. I never wait this long for a trick to get ready. By this time, we're usually starting round two. But he's different. He's gorgeous. But he's got a fire inside him. The way he was standing there, completely confidant. The way he kisses, with such desire. But why is he holding back?*  
  
He's doesn't even know why he's being so patient. I pull him over to the bed and we sit down.  
  
"Brian, I'm sure I'll be able to do what you ask," I say.  
  
"Sure you can," he replies. "You want me, don't you?"  
  
"Of course I do. It's just that I'm not human, and I don't know if I can," I blurt out, realizing, too late, what I had just done.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asks, looking at me as if to try to decide if I'm lying.  
  
I bare my fangs and say, "I'm a vampire." 


End file.
